2022 PokerStars EPT Prague

€25,000 NL Hold'em II
Day: 1
Event Info

2022 PokerStars EPT Prague

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
€273,710
Event Info
Buy-in
€25,000
Prize Pool
€720,300
Entries
30
Level Info
Level
22
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
60,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
30
Players Left
1

Thanarattrakul Valuebets Worse Hand; Heath Takes the Lead

Level 19 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Ben Heath
Ben Heath

Kannapong Thanarattrakul limped the button and Ben Heath checked out of the big blind.

The {9-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} flop was checked by Heath, who then called a bet worth 30,000. This action repeated for 75,000 on the {7-Diamonds} turn and the {5-Clubs} river was checked by Heath again.

Thanarattrakul now bet 225,000 and Heath almost immediately sighed. However, some 15 seconds later, the Brit called. Thanarattrakul tabled the {5-Spades}{4-Clubs} for two pair, which Heath had beat with the {9-Hearts}{5-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,800,000
450,000
450,000
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,200,000
-450,000
-450,000

Tags: Kannapong ThanarattrakulBen Heath

Heath Pulls Closer to Thanarattrakul

Level 19 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Another limped pot was checked on the {a-Spades}{a-Hearts}{k-Clubs} flop. Both players invested 30,000 on the {j-Diamonds} turn and the {3-Spades} river completed the board.

Kannapong Thanarattrakul now bet 35,000 and Ben Heath called to see the former roll over {j-}{3-}. Heath had that beat with the {k-Hearts}{3-Hearts} and raked in another pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,650,000
-250,000
-250,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,350,000
250,000
250,000

Tags: Ben HeathKannapong Thanarattrakul

Level: 19

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 30,000

Small Pots for Heath; Little Change on the Leaderboard

Level 18 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Kannapong Thanarattrakul limped the button and Ben Heath opted to check out of the big blind to the {a-Clubs}{q-Clubs}{j-Clubs} flop. Thanarattrakul bet 25,000 and Heath called.

There was no action on the {7-Hearts} turn and Heath check-folded the {9-Clubs} river to a 50,000-bet.

Heath then bet the {8-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{q-Clubs} turn after no previous action when he made it 50,000 to go. "I am on a draw, if you bet 25k I call one time," Thanarattrakul joked and folded.

Heath then also won the next two pots but barely anything changed for the stack distribution.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,900,000
-150,000
-150,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,100,000
150,000
150,000

Tags: Ben HeathKannapong Thanarattrakul

Thanarattrakul Chips Up With More Aggression

Level 18 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
Kannapong Thanarattrakul

Another limped pot with just one 30,000 bet and a call to the {9-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{k-Clubs}{9-Clubs} river saw Ben Heath with a check. Kannapong Thanarattrakul bet 125,000 and that won the pot.

The next limped pot to the {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{2-Spades} flop was checked by Heath, Thanarattrakul bet 30,000 and Heath called. On the {2-Clubs} turn, Heath let his shot clock run down to ten seconds and bet 35,000, which prompted a raise to 75,000 by Thanarattrakul and a reluctant call by Heath.

A possible flush completed with the {7-Hearts} river and Heath check-folded to a bet of 150,000 by Thanarattrakul.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
2,050,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
950,000
-100,000
-100,000

Tags: Ben HeathKannapong Thanarattrakul

The Small Pots Continue

Level 18 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Ben Heath as the short stack has a mighty 40 big blinds at his disposal and neither player is too unhappy about limping the button. One such hand led to a {7-Spades}{6-Clubs}{4-Spades} flop on which Kannapong Thanarattrakul checked and Heath bet 35,000.

Thanarattrakul check-raised to 80,000 and Heath called. After the {7-Clubs} turn, Thanarattrakul bet 150,000 and won the pot uncontested.

Thanarattrakul raised the next button to 50,000 and folded when Heath made it 200,000 to go.

In the next limped pot that was checked to the {q-Spades}{7-Spades}{7-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds} river, Thanarattrakul bet 25,000 and Heath called to win the pot with the {9-Spades}{9-Clubs}, as Thanarattrakul was bluffing with the {10-Hearts}{2-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,950,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,050,000
-100,000
-100,000

Tags: Ben HeathKannapong Thanarattrakul

Level: 18

Blinds: 10,000/25,000

Ante: 25,000

Small Showdown Pot for Heath

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

The first hands of heads-up started with plenty of button limps and the latest hand was checked all the way to the {q-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{2-Spades} river. Ben Heath in the big blind bet 45,000 and Kannapong Thanarattrakul called within five seconds.

Heath tabled the {9-Diamonds}{6-Clubs} for a pair of sixes and that won the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,850,000
-75,000
-75,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,150,000
75,000
75,000

Tags: Ben HeathKannapong Thanarattrakul

Aleksejs Ponakovs Eliminated in 3rd Place (€117,050)

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs
Aleksejs Ponakovs

Aleksejs Ponakovs kept his short stack afloat for a few minutes with jams and raises that went through uncalled.

Kannapong Thanarattrakul forfeited his big blind to a shove, albeit reluctantly, and then jammed out of the small blind next. Ponakovs glanced at his cards with some 12 blinds behind and called.

"Oh no," Thanarattrakul joked but was actually way out in front once the cards were revealed.

Aleksejs Ponakovs: {k-Clubs}{9-Clubs}
Kannapong Thanarattrakul: {a-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}

"Why did you call?" Thanarattrakul said with a smile on the face as Ponakovs pointed to his suited king with the words "that's why".

Neither of them connected with the {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{8-Spades}{2-Spades} board and Ponakovs was felted in third place for €117,050.

"See you tomorrow," the standard reply came and the Latvian turned around. "What's tomorrow ... the 50k, right?"

It seems almost certain that most of the players in this tournament will also be up for the challenge with two times the buy-in.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,925,000
325,000
325,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,075,000
-75,000
-75,000
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
Busted

Tags: Aleksejs PonakovsKannapong Thanarattrakul

Pablo Brito Silva Eliminated in 4th Place (€84,640)

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Pablo Brito Silva
Pablo Brito Silva

Ben Heath raised to 50,000 on the button and then folded when Kannapong Thanarattrakul three-bet to 150,000 in the small blind. One hand later, Thanarattrakul jammed on the button into both short stacks and forced two folds.

Thanarattrakul raised first to act the very next hand and made it 40,000 to go. Pablo Brito Silva pushed all-in and Ben Heath in the big blind asked for an exact count. The shove was for 260,000 and Heath then called, Thanarattrakul snap-folded.

Pablo Brito Silva: {7-Spades}{7-Clubs}
Ben Heath: {j-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}

"Good luck," Heath offered and Brito Silva replied with a swift "you too".

Neither pocket pair connected with the {a-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{8-Hearts} board and Brito Silva had to settle for fourth place.

"See you tomorrow," Aleksejs Ponakovs told the Brazilian, who collected €84,640 for the efforts.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kannapong Thanarattrakul th
Kannapong Thanarattrakul
1,600,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Ben Heath gb
Ben Heath
1,150,000
190,000
190,000
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
220,000
-55,000
-55,000
Profile photo of Pablo Brito Silva
Pablo Brito Silva
Busted

Tags: Aleksejs PonakovsBen HeathKannapong ThanarattrakulPablo Brito Silva